In a nostalgic video shared by the rapper on Instagram, his father, Dennis Graham, can be seen performing in Toronto during the late 1980s or early 1990s. Accompanying the clip, Drake wrote, “For All The Dogs September 22.”
Fans have been eagerly waiting for a release date for the album since Drake announced the project at the beginning of the summer, when he was promoting his poetry book Titles Ruin Everything. According to Dennis Graham, this project features some of the most impressive music he’s heard from his son.
“I had the pleasure of sitting in my son’s dressing room and listening to this new album and I must say that it is some of the best music that I’ve heard him do,” Graham wrote on Instagram. “And I’m sure that every Drake fan throughout the entire world is going feel this one, everything about for All The Dogs is what we’ve been waiting for, Congratulations son I really feel this one.”
Drake, in response to his father’s post, expressed gratitude, writing in the comments, “Thanks Dad [three cool emojis] I was happy you loved it.”
Lil Yachty, a frequent collaborator of Drake, echoed Graham’s sentiments about the album, calling it a collection of “some of the best Drake verses” he’s come across.
“I think some of the best Drake verses that I ever heard are on this album,” he told MitchGoneMad on his A Safe Place podcast. “Some of the verses I’m just like, ‘Bruh, what’s wrong with you?’ You know what I’m saying? People gonna have a lot to say about some of his topics on this album. And I don’t think he does it on purpose, I think it’s just him—he just has a real…I will say he deals with some controversial things.”
The “Tesla” MC remembered imploring Drake to make more love songs “like you used to,” and learning why that’s a dead end. “He explained to me how it’s hard for him to make music about things he isn’t dealing with, or he isn’t experiencing. … Everything is real, everything is pulled from something. So maybe he hasn’t been in love in a while, to make deep love music, or whatever the case may be. I think it’s all real experiences for him, so what it is, is just what he’s going through in the time. … But [For All the Dogs] is super good, and it is…I’m excited. It’s tight. I probably gave y’all too much. I probably told y’all too much, ’cause he says nothing, you know? But I’m sure he won’t mind.”
As for collaborations on the album, Nicki Minaj and Bad Bunny are confirmed features, with rumors circulating about appearances by Travis Scott and 21 Savage.
